Knitting machine



SBP*- 10, 1940. F. G. wElsBEcKi-:R y 2,214,712

KNITTI-NG MACHINE Filed July 9, 1938 Patented Sept. 1940 M Sm-.Es

, 214m PATENT: @FFICE' f` G. Weisbecker,` Glenside, Pa., vassignorto f 'I Arcadia Hosiery Co.,':Lansdale,2Pa.', a corpora- 'i l. n

4 I tion of Pennsylvania applicati@ .'iyaiess, seriamezmais ztsvciaime.- (cree-12s) 'I invention relates 'toimprovementsr in knitting machines, and more particularly to im# provements in the yarn-carriers oi' straight knittingxnachines. j t. .5' In-,straiglit knitting machines, such as those which are now commonly used in the production or fm1-fashioned hosiery, `the yam to tev knit is laidalong thesinkers and dividers by selec- "j tively reciprocatedyarn carriers. A number ofv l0 vdiii'erent forms of-such yarns carriers are shown. by prior Patents Nos. 2,0l4`,34l, dated Sep-Q 410, 1935; 2,026,514,-dated -December,3v1,` 1935; and 2,201,801, datedDecember 7,1937. f 'I hepresent invention provides a'number of novelkieaturesfior knittingmachineyarn care, riers, for example, of the `type shown in said pate ents. .This invention provides a novel support for ayarncarrier guide tube.' vIt 44also provides means for detachably connecting a yielding or 2o'resilient yarn guide to the supporting armor its.`

carrierandthereby facilitating repair orl replacement of*y the yielding guide as occasion .naquiresv Another novel feature involves an arrangement of ,yarucarrier guide tubes'whichsimplles thein ,assembly in` a yam carrier, as lwell as -their f re-y placement.

more common praotice, comprise; a number of knitting sections, which .operate simultaneously to produce ay like; number of stockingv blanks or parts thereof. Each of these knitting sections includes a number (lusually. 0.127) oi yarn carriers,

whichfare selectively operatedas desired. These yarn] carriers are reciprocated in the space' Vbe-fy tween the needles and sinker bed of the respective knitting section tolay the yarn'on the sinkers y and dividers. A common/practice is'to so supporty and reciprocate the yarn carriersthat they, travel diil'erentpaths and avoid interierencewith each 40 other. As a result, one of the yarn carriers travels closerftov the sinker bedy than do the other yarn carriers. In fact one ofthe yarn carriers, the vone .tof 'which reference has just-been made, usually has its" lower Vend actually ridingon the. 454 adjacent surface,ofthel sinker bed `durinig yarn ne layingoperations. This contact withthe sinker f.

bed rapidly wears afwy the eonventional yarn carrier, and soon destroys -its usefulness.

The early destruction of yarnfcarriers by ltite sinkerr beds is` avoided by ,thepresent invention,

riding. asinkerbed. Thisnovel yarn carrier will have arelativelyllong useful life and .will continue to operate in desired manner for anindeiinite .55 period `even :though the sinker bed is constantly engaged during yarn laying operations.

' Another l'Objectis toprovide al knitting matraignt knitting/machines, yeecoquiirig the Vembodiment oi?y thisinvention.

vFigure II.

which provides a novel form of yarn carrier forchine carrier a readily replaceable yarn guide. y

Another object'is tovprovideanovel yarn carrier of thetype having a yielding or flexible yarn guide tube.

-yarnlguide tubes.

A still'. further object is to provide an improved knitting machine yam carrier of the type which rides 'asinker bed duringtoperation..` t .l 15

Other objects of this invention will appear from l the following description, 'the appended claims,

and the'accompanying drawing,` which illustrates two embodiments of this invention.

.In the drawing, Figure I is a perspectivevieu(l zo of a yarn carrier rembodying'this. invention.

Figure 1I is a transverse cross-section view.

through'aportion of a conventional straight knit-` Figure Lriding the sinker bed. Figure III` is a `cross-sectional view takenonv line III-:[11y of Figure 1I. i l

*Figurey IV isan exploded view of the parts@ which .are .assemdled' to form the'structure of' Figure-HL y e 'so Figure V is a `iront elevational view of a further/ ting machine and `shows vtheyarn carrier 'of Referring now detail to: the drawing,.1igure y" II shows certain* conventional .machine parts which` are helpful to anA understanding. oi this 35 invention.. y.These conventionalv parts are the sinker bed I, the verge plate .2, the sinker 3, and the needle 4. 'Ayarn carrier I0 .embodying this invention is illustrated in Figure II in position for riding the sinker bed' I. In yarn laying oper- 40 y ations, Vthe yarn carrier i0 .is reciprocated "along a path normal to the plane oftheaccompanying sh'eet of drawingand constantly engagesy the front'surfaceof the sinker bed `sliownl in To avoid wear on the supportingA arm II ofthe yarn carrier Iii as the latter rides `thesinker bed I, the lower end of. the; yarn carrier supporting, arm- I i is provided on .its rear side with a protecting plate I2. 'This plate I2 may be formed of any 5o suitable;y material, although. it preferably is` formed of relatively thin, resilient sheet metal. The plate I2` preferably should beof such char-v` acter as to retain its original shape without supy portandlto. serve eillciently in its capacity as a protective means. The plate I2 also is preferably `as thin as these requirementsv permit,V in order that the lower end of the .yarn carrier supporting ann Il `may, be maintained as close to thesinker lns the other yarn carriers of the same knitting section during their movement, as much space as possible between Vthe sinkerV bed I y and the' needles 4.

The metal, where such is used, for the plate I2 is preferably steel which has been tempered topv Experi-y ence 'shows that a protective plate I2 of such* make it relatively soft and resilient.

metal is well suited to the requirements of any yarn carrier I8 which ridesthe sinker bed I. In some straight knitting machines, each knitting section has two yarn carriers which ridel the sinker bed at dierent times. Each of these two yarn carriers may be provided with a pro-` 1s steel. the plate I2 may be welded to the sup-` porting arm II.` The plate I2, however, may be` secured in place by soldering, gluing, vulcanizing or in other suitable manner depending von the kind `of material of which the plate I2 is formed.

For reasons explained hereinafter, the lower portion of the plate I2 may' extend beyond the end of the supporting arm II and have a centrally disposed cut-out area I3 as shown in Figures I to IV. In order tor provide sufllcient strength and thereby avoid accidental deforma--` tion lor breakage, the lower plate portion may be made relatively wide, preferably Wider thanl the lower end of the supporting arm Il (see Figv III).

The yarn (not shown) being supplied bythe yarn carrier III passes along a groove I4` in the upper side of the supporting arm II and then through a set of tubes I5, I6 and I1.

From groove I4, the yarn (not shown) passes ilrst into the yarn guide tube I5. 'I'his tube I5 has a flared upper end portion I8, and is receivedrwithin a socket I9 provided in the supporting arm II. Tol assemble they ,tube I5 and the supporting arm II, the former is placed in the grooveY I4,. aligned with the socket I9, and

then axially shifted in the direction indicated by the upper arrow of Figure IV. The tube I5 is advanced until its lower end extends below the shoulders 20 dening the lower'limit of the socket I9 and its ar'ed end I8 abuts the shoulder 2| at the topof the socket I9 (see Figure DI).

The supporting arm Il, as shown in the drawings, may be longitudinally slotted or bifurcated below its shoulder 2| to provide spaced branches 21 and 28 (see particularly Figure IV). Between the shoulders 20 and 2|, the inner sides of the .branches21 and 28 are shaped toconform to curve outwardly in opposite directions `v(seeFigures III and IV). y

The yarnguide-tube I6 is inserted in place by axial movement in the direction indicated by its arrow in Figure IV. The upper end of the tube I6 is received within'the space between the tube I5 and the side walls of socket 25, which frictionally engage respectively the inner and outer side walls of the tube I6. The socket 25 and the tube I5 cooperate to firmly hold the tube I5 and prevent its accidental removal during use of the yarn carrier I8 for laying yarnfbut permit its ready removal by'va'suitable tool when tube repair or replacement is desired'. The tube words, the tubes I5 and I6 aredetached by axial movementin opposite directions. The yarn guide tube vI5 maybe formedrof nickel, steel or other suitable material and *is` preferably of relatively rigid'kconstruction.

The yarnV guide tube I6 may be of any suitable construction. The tube I6 is preferably'resilient and is illustrated in the form shown vin Figures IV and V of my'prior Patent N0. 2,101,801.

A third tube I1 of wear-resisting material` r may, if desired, be provided as al liner for thev free end of the tube I6; As theyarn laying tip of a yarn carrier is preferablyv made as sma'llfinv overall width as possible', the lower portionsof.H the tubes I6 and I1 may be tapered as shown in Figure III. 'I'his tapering, vwhich may be secured in any suitable manner, is preferablyv accomplished after the tube I1 is insertedinto `the .tube I6-and beforethey'are assembled in the yarn carrier I0. The ytubes I6 and I1 are shown in Figure III asthey appear before theyare'assembled togetherandsubjected lto the tapering process.- I

Theltube I6 is made flexible to'lper'mit' itsdeiiection in event of engagement'withan'obstruc-A tion lduring yarn laying operations. gIf aimis''" Y placed sinker (3)'isengaged duringthe-'travel of yam carrier I, the lexibletube I6 maybe deflected rearwardlyv and to one ofthe two dotted line positions illustrated in lFigure III. j depending on the direction of movement of the yarn car'- rier I0. yDuring this deiiection', the'filexible tube I6 will engage and conform to the curvedsliape of one of the surfaces 26.", The'engaged surfacel 26 causes the deflected iiexible tube IIB to assumev a-'curved shape' and thereby avoidspermanent" deformation of the tube `which might occur" where the upper and lowervtube portions are free to assume a sharp angular relation with respect to each other during `deilection of the lower tube end,

As will be'seen from Figure III, the platek I2'- will protect'the flexible tube IIIv from engagement with the sinker bed I during rearward deflection with respectto the'direction of travel ofthe ya-rn vcarrier III.V Under certain conditions',y the' flexible tube-I6 may be deiiectedtransversely'of its normal direction of 'movement `during yarn laying operations.` This deiiectionf might be caused, for example, by engagement with another yarn carrier I0. yTo permit this deflection, the lower central part I3 of the plate I2 is preferably removedor'cut out. The cut-:out'IS' mayy be omitted, however, iff it is'n'ot desired."

As previously' explained, eachknittingv section of a straight knitting machine has a number of* Y yarn carriers; only one or two of whichride the sinker bed I. The protective plate I2 is' preferably provided for the yarn carriers IIJr which ride v,

the sinker bedy I. I'I'he other.: yarn carriers of the knitting section may be constructed as shown 1 rsf that the `sinker bed riding yarr'if carriers I0 may bebonstructed 'as shown inf-Figures I to IV, ybut with the vprotective plate I2` omitted. `In this case. the` supporting arm I Iv during yarn laying oprations'fwould engagethe'sinker bed I` and be subjected to the usual rubbing' action. "H 'I 'Y @"A furtherA embodiment;A of this invention is shown A1n- Flgure v; 'rms einboeunrientA includes the tubes 30 and 3l whichv may be similar;y in structure'tonthe tubes I6 and l1 respectively of the other rfigures. The flexible yarn guide tube,A

30- yfriciio'rially engages andy-is preferably 'supported solely by the lower end of ayarnguide tube I2. "I'his yarn guide vtubev 12,'which may be" formed of the same material as tube vvI5 ofthe lother figures, is preferably secured permanently to the yarnl carrier supporting arm I3. The tube 32, for example; may be soldered 'or welded to the lyarn ycarrier arm 33u lMaterial deposited' by vsuch 'soldering or welding isv'indicated at 3l. Figure V showsl only the lowervportion of the supporting arm 33, andit is Ato be understood that the remainder thereof maybe substantially the same in construction as-theupper portion Iofthe supporting armA il of Figure I. Y

The tube 32 hasr its lower end extending below a shoulder 35' of the yarn carrier arm 33 land linto the upper end of the flexible tube 30. These engaging tube -portions are preferably of such rrelative dimensions that'the tube 32 fltsjtightly within the tube 30 Aso asfto prevent accidental 'removal of 'the latter, and to" permit removal of thektube 30 bya suitabletool rwhen such'is delsiredi The tube 30 ,V for example, may-be removed by pressing-downwardly on the edge of the upper tube'endnwith a small screw driver or other appropriate Iinstrument. i I The yarn carrier armf-l has two branches 3B and lextendingvbelow the'fshoulder. and atl opposite sides' of 'the'tube y30; The innered'ges ofthe branches 36 and-may 'be spaced from.

the tube 30 as shown in Figure V and preferably have their lower portionsror surfaces 38 curved outwardly in the samey manner/and forthe samey purpose as the surfaces. 2B of the other iigures.

.-;If `the yarn carrier of Figure AV is to ride the sinker` bed I` during use, it. (the yarn carrier) i may be provided withy a protective plate similar to the one (I2)v -shown in connection with yarn carrierlil. y f i 1 The foregoing is illustrative, andit will be un'- derstood thatv this invention includes all 'embodiments, coming within thesscope. of the appended claims. l l 1-. v y

.Iclaimr f f 1. In a` straight knittingfmachine yarn carrier, the combination comprising a'supporting arx'nto havefreciprocatory movement, a tubular member vforglaying the yarn of said carrie1"'.iuri1`igl frictionally secured to andV carriedhby one. end

ofsaid rigidguide tube. 'l f y 3. In a straight knitting machine yarn'carrier, the combination comprising a supporting arm, a substantially rigid yarnguide tube secured to said supporting arm, and a flexible guide tubefremovably mounted on one end of said ilrstmentioned tube 'l and vfrictionally gripping the same.

4. A strx'siglzt knitting machine L yarn vcarrier comprising a supporting arm, a relatively'rigid yarnA guide tube permanently lsecured to said arm, and a removableiiexible yarn guide tube frictiona'lly,engaging' Land supported solely by one end of said ilrst-mentionedtube.

5. A straight' knittingL machine yarnv carrier comprising a supporting' arm, a lyarn guide tube 'permanently secured to said arm, a removable iiexible yarn "guide tube frlctionallyengaging and supported solely by one end of said rst-mentionedtube, and means providing curved surfacesv for engagementby rsaid flexible yarn guide rtube during yielding movement.

6. In a straight knitting machine `yarn carrier, vthe combination comprising a supporting arm, a'- yarn guide tube removably carried by said arm, anda. removablefiexibleguide tube frictionally secured tosaid first-mentioned tube, saidtubes being'detachablei from each other and the rv'said supporting arm byaxial movement in l opposite directions.

7. In astraight knitting/machine yarn carrierpthe combination comprisinga supporting member having a. socket and shoulders at'opposite ends ofi-said socket, a guide tube extending vthrough "said socket 'and having a ared end supported byr one of said shoulders, and a ilexli'ble tube frictionaliy secured to the other end of said 'iirst-mentioned/tube and abutting the other-of said shoulders, wherebyfvsaid flexible tube vmaintains said combination in 'assembled relation and may be readily removed-when tube replacement is desired;V

8. In ra straight knitting machine yarn carrier, the combinationcomprising a supporting member having a socket open at both ends, a yarn guide tubefitted into said socket .from one end thereof and `having a modiedfportion to prevent-its -complete withdrawal from the other socket end, and a yielding yarn guide removably secured to said tube and cooperating with said -modiiled portion to releasably securesaid tube in saidvsoeket. f ,4

i 9. Aixstraignt knitting vmachine yarn carrier comprising a supporting member having two adjacent, axially aligned sockets, a yarn guide tube .supportedfby one of .said sockets and extending into the other of saidsockets, andla second yarnl guide-tube supported in said last-named socket.

y'10. Astraight knitting machine yarn vcarrier comprising. a supporting member having two ad- -jacent, i axially alignedV sockets, a flexible tube 'having one end thereof disposed in one of said sockets, a yarn guide tube carried by the other 'ofsaid sockets and extending 'into said end of said flexible tube, said yarn guide tube cooperating-'with said flexible tube socket to supportsaid exible ytube by frictionalengagementv therewith' Y' 11. The combination with a straight knitting machine yarn carrier adapted to ride the knitting machine sinker bed during yarn laying operations and having a yielding yarnA guide't'o lay the yarn, of a protective plate secured to the undersideof said 'yarn' carrier adjacent said f guide for engaging said sinker bed during use of said yarn carrier, said protective plate having a cut-outportion opposite the tip of said guide to permit yielding movement thereof transverse to the direction of yarn carrier travel.

12. A straight knitting machine yarn carrier arm having a bifurcated end portion to form two' comprising a flexible yarn gui-de tube for-laying yarn on the knitting machine sinkers, and means providing curved surfaces for engagement by said v iiexible yarn guide tubeupon deflection by an obstruction in its path of movement.

13. `In a yarn carrierfor straight knitting mavchines, the combinationcomprising a supporting arm having a bifurcated end portion to form two branches, the outer .ends of the adjacenty edges of the4 said branches being outwardly and oppo-` gagement with an obstruction duringyarn laying operations. I l

14. In a straight knitting machine yarn carrier,v the combination comprisingv a supporting arm member, ayielding yarn guide tube extending both inwardly and Youtwardly of anV end-of said member, and means carried by said member and frictionally engaging said tube `to maintain normally the tip thereof in proper positionvfor discharging yarn, said tube being detachable by axialmovement in the direction away from said engaging means and supporting member. i

15. In a straight knitting. `-machine yarn carrier, the combination comprising `a supporting member, a yarn guide tube of substantiallyrcylindrical shape throughout and having at least a portion thereof of AiiexibleF construction in the form of coiled wire, and means :carried by said member and frictionally engaging the; side surfaces .,of said tube -to maintain normally the tip thereof in proper position for discharging yarn, said tube being detachable -by axial movement in the direction away from said engaging means and supporting member. I

16. A straightv knitting yarn guide tube carried by said arm, and a yielding tubular yarn guide element supported bysaid Vguide tube. y f

17. Ina straight knitting machine yarnr carrier, the combination comprising a supporting arm,l a yarn guidey tubular' element carried by said arm, and a ex'ible guide tube carried bysaid element, said yarn guide tubular element extending .into and frictionally engaging said exible tube to 'detachably support the same.

Y18. In a straight knitting machine' yarn car-v branches, the inner edges `of said branches being outwardly and oppositely curved, and resilient yarn guide tube carried `by said arm and positioned between said branches, said tube being free to yield and conform tothe curvaturel of one of l lsaid branch `edges as the tube flexes upon enyarn laying operations, of" relativelythin .means machine-yarn carrier 'comprisinga supporting arm, a relatively rigid fwaaiyzls Y 20. In ayarn carrier for straight knitting ma-r' chines, the combination comprising supporting` means, a resilient yarn guide tube carried by said means, and means providing a curved surface ad-.

jacent said guide tube forr engagement thereby i5:

during yielding movementof the tube toward the curved surface, vsaid curved surface vhaving such shape, as to avoidabrupt bends in the'tube when in engagement therewith.

-21. A yarn carrier for reciprocating movement i0 j in a straight knitting machine to layryarnalong the sinkers and needles thereof, said yarn carrier comprising a supporting arm, a 'fiexible tube care ried by said arm for laying yarn rrelatively close tosaid sinkers andl needles and adapted to vyield 15 rearwardly with respect to thedirection of travel of the yarn carrier in event of the` tube striking `an obstruction Aduring yarn laying operations, and means-providing lcurved surfaces at opposite sides of said exibletube for engagement thereby during rearward yielding movement of said tube in either direction of travelV of said yarn carrier, whereby said tube in exing conformsvto the cur' vature of one of said surfaces and abruptbends in said tube during yielding movements are avoided.

22. The combination with astraight knitting machine yarn carrier adapted to haveits lower end ride a knitting` machine sinker-,bed during secured'to said yarnv carrier end to spaceslightly 30 the same from the lsinker bed and to take all'the wear caused ,by the sinker bed during travel of. said yarn jcarrierysaid meansl being of such size and shape as to Aprovide an' increase *in surface ,Y 23. Thecombination with a straight :knitting f machine yarn carrieradapted to have its `lower endyride a knitting., machine sinkerbed during yarn laying operations,rof` a relatively `thin plate secured to said yarn'carrier infsuchposition asto 10 take all the wear caused byfthe sinkerbed during travel, of said yarn carrier, said plateextending beyond the tip of said yarn carrier to provide a.L surface of increased area for slidingv contact with said'sinker bed. .1 l- 3.45,

'24. The combination with Va straight knitting machine yarn-carrier adapted to have its lower y end ride a knitting machine sinker bed during.

yarn laying operations, of anrelatively thin Yand flexible metallic protecting. plate secured tothe 50 underside of said yarn vcarrier so as to engage said sinkerbed and takeall'the wear caused thereby during yarn layingA operations .ofV said carrier, said metallic plate extending laterally beyond the tip and side edges of said yarn carrier `to provide 55 anincrease in surface area for sliding' contact Withsaid sinker bedr f f .25. Inv a` straight knitting machine-yarn car` rier,y the combination comprisingy a supporting member, a yarn guide of Y substantially `tubular 6.0 f

f the direction away from said engaging means and supporting member.

G. WEISBECKER..

.area` for sliding contact with said sinker bed. .iA 35 CERTIFICATE oF CORRECTION. P'atent'No. 2,2lL|.,712. f September l10, 19140.

FRANK G. wEIsBECKER.

It is' hereby certified that error afppears in the printed specifica-.tion ofthe 'above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: vPageV l, first column, line lO, for the wordA "yarns" read --yarn; line 15, for "2,201,801" read 2,101,801; and that the said Letters P atent should be I'elsldA with this'` correction therein that thes'ame may conform to the record'oi the case in the Patent Office.

signed and sealed this 8th day of october, A. D. 191m.

. v -Henry Van Arsdele; v(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

